Brassiere



Feb. 12, 1963 A. o. WILLIAMSON BRASSIERE Filed Feb. 3, 1961 INVENTOR. Q72 7Z8 0 ZZ/zllz'amsam FM United States Patent 3,077,198 BRASSIERE Anne 0. Williamson, Chicago, ill, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Geneseo, ind, Nash dlie, Tenn, a corporation of Tennessee Filed Apr. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 19%,14-8 3 Claims. (Cl. 128-489) This invention relates to brassieres and has to do with the cups and their connection to the other portions of the garment.

In many brassieres presently on the market after they have been used for a comparatively short time they tend to form creases parallel to the body folds beneath the cups. Such creases develop into permanent pleats which tend to cut into the body causing discomfort to the wearer, particularly in hot or humid weather.

My invention is directed to avoiding the above noted objections to the known brassieres, above mentioned. To that end I connect the cups to the remainder of the brassiere by elastic having one way stretch and in such manner that pull incident to bodily movements of the wearer is exerted against the normal direction of stretch of the elastic mtaerial, particularly about the lower portions of the cups. in that manner the stretch of the elastic material is controlled so that upon release of pull it returns to its normal smooth and unwrinkled condition so as to fit smoothly to the body of the wearer without any crease, assuring comfort to the wearer and prevent the forming of objectionable creases in the continued use of the brassiere. Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the detail description.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of brassiere embodying my invention, with parts broken away;

FIGURE 2 is a rear or body side view of the brassiere of FIGURE 1, with parts broken away; and

FIGURE 3 is a perspective View of the brassiere of FIGURE 1 in use upon a wearer thereof, showing the direction of stretch of the elastic material incident to the raising of the wearers arm.

The brassiere of my invention comprises cups 5 secured together at their inner side portions by a non-stretchable insert 6 of generally keystone shape, the parts being secured together by stitching in the usual manner. The cups 5 are of conventional form and each thereof preferably is provided, at its lower portion, with a support lining 7 of segmental or substantially inverted ll-shaped secured to the cup by stitching and formed of a soft material assuring comfort to the wearer. The insert 6 extends below cups 5 and strips of elastic material 8 are secured at their inner ends by stitching to the sides of insert 6 at the bottom thereof. The strips 8 have one way stretch horizontally, i.e., in a direction extending about the body of the wearer, and have no vertical stretch. The outer ends of strips 8 are stitched to the inner ends of non-stretchable securing back bands 9 of substantial width, at the lower edges thereof. An elastic strap 10 is secured by stitching to the outer end of one of the bands 9 and has one Way stretch horizontally, in a direction extending about the body of the wearer. A pad 12 is stitched to the outer end of strap 16 and has secured thereto a plurality of eyes 13 for reception of books 14 secured to a pad 15 stitched to the outer end of the other back band 9. The eyes 13 are arranged in several series spaced apart lengthwise of pad 12 and provide, in cooperation with the hooks 14, adjustable means for securing the brassiere about the Wearers body in a known manner.

The back bands 9 are of substantial width, as noted, and the inner ends thereof are of circular curvature sub- "ice stantially concentric with the outer side portions of cups 5, the lower portions of which are also of circular curvature, as shown. The lower portion of each cup 5 is secured by a stitched seam 13 to the upper side edge of inert e and to the upper inner edge of an insert 19, the outer side edge of which is secured by a stitched seam 20 to the inner end of back band 9. The lower edge portion of insert 19 is stitched to the strip 8 and its inner end is secured to the lower side edge of insert 6 by a stitched seam 21 joining the cup seam 18 to the inner end of strip 8. Adjustable shoulder straps 22, having elastic inserts 22a, are secured to the cups 5, at the tops thereof, and to the upper edges of the back bands 9 adjacent their outer ends. The upper side edges of inserts 19 are secured by non-stretchable stitched seams 23 to the upper ends of seams 18 and 20. The upper edges of insert 6, cups 5 and back bands 9 are turned over and have stitched thereto a finishing strip of ornamental lace 24.

The inserts 19 are formed of open mesh elastic fabric cut on the bias and having one way stretch only, the stretch being upward at an angle of approximately sixty degrees to the bottom strips 8, as indicated by the arrows. The stretch under each cup is in the direction of the Wearers shoulder, i.e., toward the outer side of the body rather than inwardly toward the chin. When the brassiere is secured upon the wearer, the strips 8 are under slight lengthwise tension holding the brassiere snugly in position with strips 8 providing anchorage for the lower edge portion thereof. The support of the lower portions of cups 5, due to the linings 7 therein, then exerts a desirable upward and forward lifting effect in cooperation with the portions of the stretchable inserts 19 extending about the lower portions of the cups 5 and holding them snugly against the body. The portions of inserts 19 at the sides of pockets 5 serve, in conjunction with the portions thereofat the lower portions of pockets 5, to hold the latter snugly about the parts therein and to exert the desirable lifting effect above mentioned. The brassiere is thus held snugly and comfortably positioned about the body and will readily accommodate bodily movement without being displaced and causing discomfort to the wearer, which avoids the formation of objectionable creases and resultant pleats beneath the cups. The portions of the inserts 19 extending about the lower portions of cups 5' and secured to the strips 8 are of importance in that respect. Referring to FIGURE 3, when the right arm is raised, the outer portion of insert 19 will be stretched upward and forward at the outer side portion of the right cup 5 and the portion of insert 19 extending beneath the lower portion of that cup will also be stretched upward and forward. That accommodates the bodily movement without displacement of the lower and outer edge portions of insert 19, which remain held in position fitting snugly about the body and providing anchorage for the insert 19 during such stretching thereof. The linings 7 of cups 5 are of substantially inverted V- shape, as noted, and in conjunction with the angle of stretch of the adjacent inserts 19 produces a desirable lifting effect at all times, including bodily movements such as raising of the arms. When the right arm is lowered, the insert 19 contracts exerting a downward and outward pull on cup 5 returning it to its normal position without any creasing or folding below cup 5, due to the extension of insert 19 about the lower portion of cup 5. In the same manner, if the left arm of the wearer is raised, the bodily movement is accommodated without displacement of the outer and lower edge portions of the corresponding insert 19 and upon lowering of that arm the left cup 5 is returned to normal position without any crease or fold being formed below that cup. Also, in other bodily movements, the one way stretchable inserts 19 accommodate movements of the cups and return them to normal positions while precluding production of creases beneath the cups with resultant forming of pleats causing discomfort to the wearer;

-When elasticin a brassiere is disposed with its stretch in such direction that it can be stretched t'o-its full capacity it: causes discomfort to. the wearer. By. disposing the inserts 19 of the brassiere of my invention on the bias withthe stretch'asabove explained, the stretch thereof is controlled so that it can be stretched to a limited extent only, adequate to accomplish the desired results while precluding stretching'of the'elastic to its full capacity with resultant discomfort to the wearer.

Iclaim: 1 .r a 1.-: In a brassiere, a pair of .cups,nan insert rnemberbetween: and=secured to the inner side portions of said cups and extending downwardly therebelow, back bands of substantial width spaced outwardly from said cups, strips extending between and-secured to .the. lower side edge andxextending downwardly therebelow', back bands of substantial width disposed with their." inner ends spaced outwardly from the outer side portions of-s'aid cups, bottom strips extending between and secured to the lower side edge portions of said insert member and the lower inner end portions of said back band, and inserts disposed between and secured to the lower and outer side portions of said cups and said strips and the sides of said insert member, said inserts extending continuously about the outer sides of and beneath said cups and respectively having throughout their extent uniform stretch in an inwardly and upwardly direction only.

3. In a brassiere, a pair'of cups, an insert member between and secured to the inner side portions of said cups and extending downwardly therebelow, the lower and outer side portions of said cups'being of generally/circular curvature,back bands of substantial width disposed with their inner ends spaced outwardly from and substantially concentric with theouter. side portions or said cups, bottom strips extending between and secured to'the lower side edge portions of said insert member and'the lower inner end portions of said back bands, and inserts disposed between'a'nd-secured to the lower and'outer sides of said cups and said strips and the sides of said-insert:

member, said inserts extending continuously about'the outer sides of and beneath said cups and being respectivelyv 2,869,554 2,875,764 Benson Mar. 3'," 1959 2,969,067 Smith Jan. 24, 1961 Hollar Jan. 20, 1959 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent Non 3,077 ,198 February 122. 1963 Anne 0; Williamson It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 3 line 20, after "bands insert and inserts Signed and sealed this 3rd day of September 1963:.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST w. SWIDER DAVID D Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. IN A BRASSIERE, A PAIR OF CUPS, AN INSERT MEMBER BETWEEN AND SECURED TO THE INNER SIDE PORTIONS OF SAID CUPS AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY THEREBELOW, BACK BANDS OF SUBSTANTIAL WIDTH SPACED OUTWARDLY FROM SAID CUPS, STRIPS EXTENDING BETWEEN AND SECURED TO THE LOWER SIDE EDGE PORTIONS OF SAID INSERT MEMBER AND THE LOWER INNER END PORTIONS OF SAID BACK BANDS, DISPOSED BETWEEN AND SE- 